Former Nazareth police officer Jason Gabriel says he was never ...

A Nazareth man facing trial on charges he attacked his girlfriend won a plea deal Tuesday when a police officer who was supposed to testify didn't show after getting dismissed from his job the night before.

[private]

If he has had prior problems with the law that should be even more reason he be in jail. They should make an example out of him, to show that people can do that to people and get away with it.

[Mayor Cooper]

Interesting....what happened to all the earlier comments? After reading a particular blog, it shed a whole new light on this story. Where are the comments?????

[Ratz Sass]

Welcome to Oz, where things appear and disappear in the blink of an eye.

[who cares]

If he has had prior problems with the law ''''''''''
they all do cupcake, they all do.

[Ishga]

unbelievable!

[Sports Group]

Taschner used to work for Asteak, but was fired after she screwed up a case that costs a client 7 yrs in state prison

[WTF]

Why didn't the D.A. subupoena him earlier? According to the article, he would have appeared in court had he known earlier than Tuesday.

[wow]

This is sooo Nazareth. I'm sure they could care less about the victim.

[boogie]

gabriel is an idiot...he should never be i law enforcement....he probably knew of the case earlier....good job on getting rid of him

[Hansum]

What do you want to bet he catches time anyway, despite the lack of evidence. I want to see anyone who assaults anyone else go to jail, but with what's going on here, he should get probation.

[TAXPAYER]

NAZARETH POLICE ALONG WITH THE WROTTEN MAYOR EARL "TURNCOAT" KELLER HAVE A HORRIBLE REPUTATION ON HOW THEY TREAT THEIR POLICE OFFICERS. THEY FIRE ALMOST EVERYONE WHO WORKS FOR THEM. EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION AT IT'S FINEST. MANY LAWSUITS TO COME THEIR WAY. THERE CHIEF BAILED JUST IN TIME BUT HE WON'T ESCAPE THE LAWSUITS.

[ynot]

many of the small police forces in the area are a joke. nazareth is a town where they hire cops just to screw with them and fire them. they don't want real cops just azz kissers to the town council. have state police take over all police forces under 10 members. the mayor of nazareth is a weasel. chief sickclair was a worm too and i am glad he is gone.

[comment]

I concur. It is time for counties to considering getting their deputies ACT trained and converting to County Police Forces responsible for whole county, other than those municipalities which seek to continue municipal police forces.

A modern day police forces take an input who is highly professional, highly educated, ability to use many types of technology. A modern police force takes competent police administration and oversight, signficant budgets and signifcant amount of physical and human resources to do the job properly. It is time for these Mayberry PD to disappear and reconfigure public security in Pennsylvania, or at least the Lehigh Valley which is 700,000 people.

Five police departments are needed, PA State Police for state highways and federal highways. Lehigh County Sheriff's Department (converted to ACT trained and approved PD) to patrol county roads and all municipalities without police departments or those who want to eliminate their police departments. It will take a significant upgrade, but at least you only have to build out one police department. The Sheriff will continue to be an elected official, but a figurehead. They county will have a police commission panel and hire a Police Commissioner and requiste administration for an area and population of 300,000+

The same for Northampton County. Even better would be a bi-county police department.

Allentown Police Department would continue to exist due to specific nature of urban crime.

Bethlehem Police Department would continue to exist for same reason as Allentown, nature of urban crime.

Every other municipality could have a police department, if they choose, but not necessary.

Here is how you can eliminate costs and duplication and redirect those resources to builing out countywide security with a force significant to support APD or BPD when necessary.